ETHNIC POLITICS AND THE CREDIBILITY OF THE 2019 KOGI STATE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION IN LOKOJA METROPOLIS

This study seeks to investigate the factors that triggered ethnic politics during the Kogi state 2019 gubernatorial election in Lokoja Metropolisand how it undermined the electoral process during the Kogi state 2019 gubernatorial election. The study collected data from primary and secondary sources. This study used a sample of 400 people from the studys population of 137,301. Meanwhile, weighted mean was used to analyze the data collected. Besides, the alternative hypothesis which states that there is significant relationship between factors that promotes ethnic politics such as political marginalization and illiteracy, electorates value system, weak electoral laws and corruption and the Kogi state 2019 gubernatorial election in Lokoja Metropolis is accepted. Also, the alternative hypothesis which states that there is significant relationship between the ways ethnicity undermined the credibility of electoral process during the Kogi state 2019 gubernatorial election in Lokoja Metropolis is accepted. Lastly, media and civil society organizations should work closely to raise public awareness on the dangers inherent in ethnic politicsand advocate for accountability and transparency in the electoral processes in Nigeria.